Manchester United's quest for European glory goes on, but because it must rather than because they have progressed to another phase. Faced with the prospect of securing a fifth consecutive appearance in the quarterfinals of the European Cup, which victory would have brought them last night, United led from the 12th minute to the 87th.
But any suggestion that they were unlucky to concede such a late equaliser should be discarded, United were fortunate to be ahead for so long against a Valencia side of superior movement. The Spaniards dominated possession to the extent that United did not force a corner the whole game, and were just ruing the sight of Paul Scholes clearing a Ruben Barajo header off the line in the 85th minute when substitute Vicente ran at Gary Neville, crossed and saw Wes Brown deflect the ball past Fabien Barthez.
That was cruel on Brown, but it was deserved by Valencia. They fought valiantly and intelligently to recover from Andy Cole's opener.
United must now travel to Athens in a fortnight and there will be a mixture of consolation and trepidation that they survived here without Ryan Giggs for 72 minutes and David Beckham for the whole match. Not for the first time of late, Beckham was anonymous. And in front of Sven Goran Eriksson. Beckham can hardly be worse in the next game.
Early on Brown made an impeccable dispossession of John Carew on the edge of the United area. Similarly, his partner Japp Stam made the sort of giant tackle on Pablo Aimar that serves to rid colleagues of nerves.
Keane, too, made important challenges on Gaizka Mendieta in an opening 20 minutes that fizzed by. Valencia were to go one down in that period, but it was the visitors who created the first moment of danger in the game, Carew feeding Aimar whose instant deft flick found Kily Gonzalez lurking behind the United defence. Gonzalez's control was superb and in one movement he also put a shot a yard over Barthez's crossbar.
That was indication of Valencia's incisiveness, and another arrived in the 25th minute when Mendieta received a slick pass from the elegant Mauricio Pellegrino. Mendieta's footwork was superb, collecting and passing the ball using both feet and sending Aimar drifting away into the United penalty area. The young Argentinian's shot was disappointing.
By then Valencia had been behind for 13 minutes, Cole having prodded home from 12 yards after exchanging a quick one-two with Giggs. It was Cole's fourth goal in the five games since his return from injury.
The visiting manager, Hector Cuper, had warned of Giggs and he must have been pleased to see the Welsh winger walk off six minutes later with a recurrence of his troublesome hamstring injury.
Nicky Butt came on for Giggs and a combination of the loss of width and balance Giggs gives United - not forgetting his talent - allied to greater urgency from Valencia, meant that the Spaniards assumed the momentum for the rest of the half.
Butt and Cole had long-range shots for United, but with Mendieta running imaginatively and Aimar probing closer to Carew, Valencia were far from out of contention.
To their credit, Valencia continued where they left off after the interval, with Aimar again a pivotal player. He illustrated his ability once more with a cute touch to Kily Gonzalez that set the winger free to shoot at Barthez, who blocked with his legs.
But Valencia were in charge. Butt was booked for a foul on Mendieta, Beckham for one on Carboni. Aside from the home defence only Keane was playing to his potential for United.
Just past the hour Ferguson decided to change things. Off came Teddy Sheringham, on came Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, apparently with the brief to patrol the left and offer the shape missing since Giggs's departure. To an extent it worked, Solskjaer's simple activity offered United an outlet they had lacked. Yet the game's focus then switched to Beckham, an over the top challenge on Baraja provoking retaliation from Amedeo Carboni.
When the dust settled Valencia's concentration was the greater. As it had been for most of the night.
MAN UTD: Barthez, Gary Neville, Brown, Stam, Silvestre, Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs (Butt 18), Cole, Sheringham (Solskjaer 63). Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Irwin, Phil Neville, Yorke, Chadwick. Booked: Butt, Beckham. Goals: Cole 12.
VALENCIA: Canizares, Pellegrino, Baraja, Aurelio, Carboni, Angulo (Sanchez 65), Mendieta, Kily Gonzalez (Vicente 76), Angloma, Carew, Aimar (Albelda 89). Subs Not Used: Palop, Deschamps, Djukic, Alonso. Booked: Baraja, Carboni, Mendieta. Goals: Brown 88 og.
Referee: H Krug (Germany).
